Greenwashing and greenhushing: Risks and opportunities from the gap between brand sustainability perceptions and performance

Abstract

Although acting sustainably is crucial for brands — as is being seen to act sustainably — navigating this incredibly complex topic can be challenging for business leaders. Therefore, a business case action must be articulated in financial terms in order for the benefits of sustainability actions to be made more tangible. The current authors found that millions of dollars of brand value can potentially be gained from enhanced sustainability actions and effective communication. However, there are also millions of dollars at risk, either from misallocated or excessive investments in sustainability communication, or from insufficient action leading to poor perception of sustainability actions, which can in turn lead to accusations of greenwashing. This paper aims to frame the business case for sustainability action by articulating it in financial terms.